Jin Ai, PhD

Jin Ai is an assistant professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. She integrates systematic engineering and computational methods to study social issues, focusing on how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, public and philanthropic funding, and civic participation drive innovation in science, technology, and society. Her current work uses large datasets, network analysis, and natural language processing to uncover hidden patterns in government and civil society innovation systems, with the goal of informing smarter and more responsible science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy and funding strategies. Her teaching complements this research agenda by building data and AI literacy for government and nonprofit management. She emphasizes evidence-based reasoning and analytical skills, preparing students to use computational tools and large-scale data for strategic, informed decision-making. At Rutgers SPAA, she launched a new MPA course on AI and emerging technologies for public and nonprofit sectors.

Education

• PhD: Indiana University, Philanthropic Studies (2024)
• MPA: Renmin University of China
• Bachelor's: China University of Political Science and Law, Public Management